Snow retaining gate for front end diagonal plow



Oct. 29, 1968 D. BATKQ 3,407,519

SNOW RETAINING GATE FOR FRONT END DIAGONAL PLOW Filed Oct. 24, 1965IVVEN'TOR. A 4. pfaum United States Patent C F 3,407,519 SNOW RETAININGGATE FOR FRGNT END DIAGONAL PLOW Adam D. Batko, Anoka, Minn., assignorto Village of Edina, Edina, Minn, a corporation of Minnesota Filed Oct.24, 1965, Ser. No. 504,826 6 Claims. (Cl. 37-42) This invention relatesto a gate device for use with material moving blades and moreparticularly to a gate device for use with truck or tractor mountedconventional diagonal plows that are utilized during snow removaloperations and the like.

An object of this invention is to provide a novel and improved gatedevice, of simple and inexpensive construction, for use with a materialmoving blade, preferably a front end mounted diagonal plow, carried by avehicle such as a truck or the like, and which is operable to permitcontrolled discharge of the material from the discharge end of the plow.

A more specific object of this invention is to provide a novel andimproved gate device for use with truck or tractor mounted conventionplows used in snow removal operations, the gate being swingable into andout of obstructing relation with respect to the discharge end of theplow, whereby discharge of snow therefrom during a snow removaloperation may be selectively controlled to thereby prevent discharge ofsnow into driveways, intersections and the like.

Another object of this invention is to provide a material moving bladewith a gate device of the class described, and which includes a tripmechanism to permit tripping movement of the gate when the latterengages an obstruction to thereby minimize the occurrence of damage tothe ate.

g These and other objects and advantages of the invention will morefully appear from the following description made in connection with theaccompanying drawings, wherein like character references refer to thesame or similar parts throughout the several views, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a truck-mounted diagonal materialmoving blade or plow which has the novel gate device mounted thereon;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary rear elevational view of the discharge endportion of the plow illustrating the gate shifting means in the down oroperative condition;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional View taken approximately along line 33 ofFIG. 2 and looking in the direction of the arrows, the gate beingillustrated in its inoperative position by dotted line configuration.

FIG. 4 is a rear elevational view of the discharge end of the plow ormaterial moving blade illustrating the gateshifting means in the up orinoperative condition; and

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary, detailed view on an enlarged scale of the meansfor mounting the gate on the plow or material moving blade.

Referring now to the drawings and more specifically to FIG. 1, it willbe seen that one embodiment of my novel gate device, designatedgenerally by the reference numeral 10, is shown mounted on a materialmoving blade, as specifically a diagonal plow which, in turn, is mountedupon the front end of a truck. The truck T is of conventionalconstruction and may be provided with a tiltable material receiving bodyB mounted thereon in a well known manner for use in carrying anddischarging sand during the snow removal operation. It will be seen thatthe material moving blade or plow, designated generally by the referencenumeral 11, is mounted on the front end of the truck T by a suitablemounting structure 12 (not shown in detail) which is of well knownconstruction in 3,407,519 Patented Oct. 29, 1968 the prior art. Theblade or plow 11 is arranged diagonally with respect to the path oftravel of the vehicle and the larger end so that end located on the leftside of FIG. 1 is disposed rearwardly of the opposite end of a plow.

The blade or plow 11 includes a plow or blade edge 13 which extends thefull length of the plow and to which is secured the moldboard 14 of theplow. It will be noted that the blade edge 13 extends rearwardly andupwardly from the surface which is being cleared and that the moldboard14 includes a first portion which also extends rearwardly and upwardlyand thereafter is arcuately curved in an upward and forward direction sothat the front face of the blade 13 is of generally concaveconfiguration. It will also be noted that the forwardmost end of theblade 13 has an end plate 16 rigidly secured thereto as by welding andwhich projects forwardly therefrom to obstruct that end of the blade. Itwill further be noted that the plow blade, as is conventional indiagonal type plows, increases in cross-sectional size from theforwardmost end towards the discharge end thereof to thereby accommodatean increasing amount of material that is constantly being dis chargedfrom the rear or discharge end of the plow.

Referring now to FIGS, 2 and 4, it will be seen that the rear surface 17of the plow adjacent the discharge end thereof is provided with a pairof vertical reinforcing and attachment straps or members 18 which extendfrom the plow edge 13 to the upper edge of the plow and which aredisposed in substantially spaced-apart parallel relation. A transversestrap 19 extends between and is rigidly secured at its respective endsto the vertical attachment straps 18 by means of suitable bolts and thelike. An oblique mounting strap 20 having an offset end 21 extendsupwardly from adjacent one end of the transverse strap 19, as best seenin FIG. 4.

The gate device 10 includes a substantially flat gate 22 which isprovided with a substantially straight lower edge element 23 that may bedetachably secured thereto for removal therefrom when this edge elementbecomes worn. It will also be noted that the rear edge 24 of the gate isoblique and lies closely adjacent the oblique lower front surface of theplow 13, when the gate device is in its lowered position.

The gate 10, as best seen in FIG. 1, is provided with a generallyL-shaped attachment member 25 having one arm 26 thereof secured to theinner surface of the gate and having the other arm 27 projecting atsubstantially right angles therefrom. The arm 27 has a pivot or rockshaft 28 secured thereto which projects through an opening in the plow11 and extends exteriorly rearwardly thereof. A substantially fiatmounting plate 29 is secured to the rear surface of the plow 11 andprojects rearwardly therefrom adjacent the discharge end thereof. A pairof spaced-apart bearings 30 are mounted on the mounting plate 29 bysuitable nut and bolt assemblies 31 and one of the bearings projectsthrough the opening in the plow 11. These bearings 30 journal orrevolvably support the rock shaft 28 therein whereby the gate 22 ismovable between a lowered operative position, as illustrated in fulllineconfiguration of FIG. 3, to an elevated inoperative position, asillustrated in dotted-line configuration of FIG. 3. It is pointed outthat when the gate 22 is in the lowered operative position, the lowerperipheral surface of the edge element 23 is disposed in substantiallycoplanar relation with the lower peripheral edge surface of the plowedge 13.

When the gate 22 is moved from the operative lowered position to theinoperative position, the gate is swung about a substantially horizontalaxis which extends substantially normal to the plow 11 and also extendsgenerally parallel to the direction of travel of the vehicle or truck T.The gate 22 when in the elevated inoperative position will lie below theforwardly curved upper por- 3 tion of the moldboard as best seen in FIG.3. Thus, when the gate 22 is in the lowered position, it is disposed'inobstructing relation with respect to the discharge end of the plow 11and is movable to an out-of-the-way position when it is in the upper orinoperative position. This gate moves through an arc of approximately 90degrees when moved between the operative and inoperative positions.

Means are provided for power-shifting the gate 22 between theinoperative and operative position and this power-shifting meansincludes a trip mechanism, designated generally by the reference numeral32. The trip mechanism 32 includes a first link or plate member 33 whichis ailixed at its lower end to a sleeve or collar 34 that is disposed inconcentric relation with respect to the rock shaft 28. This sleeve orcollar 34 is secured to the rock shaft 28 for rotation therewith by ashear pin. The upper tapered end portion of a first link 33 is pivotallysecured to a second link or plate member 35 by means of a pivot 36 topermit pivoting movement therebetween about an axis which is disposedsubstantially parallel to the axis of pivot of the gate 22.

The lower end portion of the first link. 33, as best seen in FIG. 5, hasthe substantially transversely extending flange 37 integrally formedtherewith and extending outwardly therefrom. This flange 37 has a pairof apertured cars 38 afiixed thereto and projecting at substantiallyright angles from opposite ends thereof for receiving a pin 39therethrough. Pin 39 also extends through an aligned or registeringaperture in the link 33.

Means are provided for resisting relative pivotal movement between thelinks 33 and 35 in a predetermined direction and this means includes apair of elongate threaded rods 40, each having an eye 41 formed at oneend thereof which is disposed in embracing relation with respect to thepin 39. It will be noted that the rods are positioned on opposite sidesof the link 33 and suitable positioning collars are provided formaintaining the rods in spaced relation with respect to the link 33. Thesecond link 35, which is of generally triangular configuration, has anaperture at one end thereof which accommodates a shaft 42 therethrough,the outer ends of which are apertured for receiving the upper ends ofthe rods 40 therethrough. Each rod 40 is provided with a retaining nut43 which threadedly engages the upper end thereof to retain the samefrom disengagement from the shaft 42.

Each rod 40 projects through and accommodates a heavy helical spring 44,opposite ends of each helical spring bearing against positioning nuts 45which threadedly engage the associated rod 40, thus permitting selectivepreloading of the helical springs 44.

An actuator is provided for shifting the gate 22 and comprises ahydraulic cylinder and piston unit 46 comprised of a piston 47 pivotallyconnected to the offset end 21 of the oblique mounting strap 20 by apivot 48. The cylinder 47 has a piston movable therein which isconnected to one end of a piston rod 48, the outer end of which isbifurcated as at 49 for connection by a pivot 50 to the second link 35.The piston 47 is provided with a pair of fittings which intercommunicatewith the interior thereof on opposite sides of the piston and which arerespectively connected to conduits 51 that are, in turn, connected incommunicating relation to a source of hydraulic fluid under pressurecarried by the truck T. In the embodiment shown, extension of the pistonrod 48, as illustrated in FIG. 4, moves the gate 22 from its loweredoperative position to its elevated inoperative position. Retraction ofthe piston rod to the position illustrated in FIG. 2 moves the gate 22to its lowered operative position. The link 33, as best seen in FIG. 2,is provided with a stop and positioning element 52 which is afiixed toone surface thereof and which is engaged along one of its edge surfacesby one edge surface of the link 35 when the piston rod 48 is in theretracted position. With this arrangement, pivoting movement between thelinks 33 and 35 about to the point 36 will be positively guided. Itwillals o be noted, as best seen' in FIGI 5, that the sleeve or collar34 is provided with a recess 53 therein which facilitates location andreplacement of the shear pin when the latter is sheared in response toshear stress exerted thereon which exceeds a predetermined limit.

During a snow removal operation, the gate 22 will be in the elevatedinoperative position whereby snow will be constantly discharged from thedischarge end of the plow 11. As the plow approaches an entranceway to adriveway or an intersection, the'operator of the truck may actuatecontrols located therein to retract the piston rod from theextended'position as illustrated in FIG. 4 to the retracted position, asillustrated in FIG. 2, wherein the gate 22 is lowered so that the loweredge thereof is disposed in substantially coplanar relation with respectto the lower edge of the plow. The gate will therefore be positioned inobstructing relation with respect to the discharge end of the plow andthe snow will be held against discharge until the discharge end of theplow has passed the entranceway or intersection. Thereafter, theoperator of the truck may manipulate controls to move the gate 22 to theelevated inoperative position so that the snow may be discharged inwindrowing fashion from the plow 11.

It has been found that during the snow removal operation, and when thegate 22 is in the lowered operative position, the lower edge thereof maystrike an obstruction such as a layer of ice or the like, and it isdesirable to permit limited yielding movement of the gate in an upwarddirection to prevent damage to the gate device. When the gate is in thedown or operative position, the links 3-3 and 35 as well as the cylinderand piston unit 46 will be in the position illustrated in FIG. 2, andpivoting or rocking movement of the shaft 28 will therefore be resistedby the piston rod 48. As the gate 22 strikes an obstruction, the gatewill be urged upwardly and will tend to cause rocking movement orrotation of the shaft 28. However, since this movement is resisted bythe piston rod 48, this force is transmitted through the link 33 and tothe pivotal connection 36 between the link 33 and link 35. This pivotalconnection 36 will tend to move towards the left, as viewed in FIG. 2,or in a counterclockwise direction but against the bias or force of thesprings 44. It will be noted that as the pivot 36 moves to the left, thesprings 44 will be flexed or stretched and will tend to urge the gate 22to return to its original down position as it passes the obstruction.Thus, the trip mechanism 32 permits the gate to be tripped from its downor operative position when an obstruction is encountered, the trippingmovement being limited in magnitude but permitting the gate to pass mostobstructions that are encountered during the snow removal operation. Inthe event that a large obstruction is encountered by the gate so themovement thereof is beyond a predetermined point, the shear pin thatkeys the collar 34 to the shaft 28 will be sheared and thereby permitrelative rotation between the collar and the shaft 28. This arrangementprevents damage to the gate device and the shear pin may be quicklyreplaced to again interrelate the parts in their proper relation.

From the foregoing description, it will be seen that I have provided anovel gate device which may be conveniently mounted on a diagonal plowof the type generally located at the front end of a prime mover andwhich is operable to permit controlled discharge of the snow from theplow during the snow removal operation.

It will also be noted that .the gate device may be mounted on such amaterial moving blade or plow with a minimum of alteration in thestructure thereof.

Thus, it will be seen that I have provided a novel gate device which isnot only of simple and inexpensive construction but one which functionsin a more etficient manner than any heretofore known comparable devices.

It will, of course, be understood that various changes may be made inthe form, details, arrangement and proportions of the various partswithout departing from the scope of my invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination with a diagonal material moving blade adapted to bemounted in transversely extending relation on a vehicle and extendingdiagonally of the direction of travel of the vehicle, the front face ofsaid blade being of arcuate concave configuration and flaring from oneend thereof to the discharge end thereof,

a gate,

means pivotally mounting said gate on said blade adjacent the dischargeend thereof for movement about an axis extending substantially normal tothe blade between a lowered operative position and an elevatedinoperative position, said gate when in said operative positionprojecting forwardly from and substantially normal to said blade andbeing disposed in obstructing relation with respect to the discharge endof the blade,

said gate when in the inoperative position being disposed below theforwardly curved upper portion of said blade intermediate the endsthereof, said gate having a lower edge disposed substantially coplanarwith said blade when said gate is in the operative position,

and power means mounted on said blade and operative connected with saidgate for power shifting the latter between said operative andinoperative positions.

2. The invention as defined in claim 1 and a trip linkage mechanisminterposed between said gate and said power shifting means to permityieldable limited movement of said gate in response to engagement of thelatter with an obstruction when said gate is in the lowered operativeposition.

3. In combination with a diagonal material moving blade adapted to bemounted in transversely extending relation on the front end of a vehiclesuch as a truck or the like, and extending diagonally in the directionof travel of the vehicle, the front face of said blade being of arcuateconcave configuration and flaring from one end thereof to the dischargeend thereof,

a gate,

pivot means swingably mounting said gate on said blade adjacent thedischarge end thereof for movement about an axis extending substantiallynormal to the blade between a lowered operative position and an elevatedinoperative position, said gate when in said operative positionprojecting forwardly from and substantially normal to said blade, andbeing disposed in obstructing relation with respect to the discharge endof the blade and having a lower edge thereof disposed substantiallycoplanar with the lower edge of said blade, said gate when in theinoperative position position being disposed below the forwardly curvedupper portion of said blade intermediate the ends thereof,

means for shifting said gate between said operative and inoperativepositions comprising an actuator,

a trip linkage comprising a pair of link members being pivotallyconnected together, one of said members being connected with said gatemounting means and the other member being connected with said actuator,

yieldable resilient means extending between and interconnected with saidlink members to yieldably resist pivoting movement therebetween whilepermitting yieldable limited movement of said gate from its loweredoperative position towards the inoperative position in response toengagement of the gate with an obstruction.

4. The invention as defined in claim 3 wherein said gate mounting meanscomprises a rock shaft, said first link member being connected with saidrock shaft for movement therewith, said second link member beingpivotally connected with said first link member and to said actuator ata point spaced from the pivotal connection between said members.

5. The invention as defined in claim 3 wherein said actuator is ahydraulic cylinder and piston unit.

6. The invention as defined in claim 3 wherein said gate is ofsubstantially fiat configuration.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,940,193 6/1960 Banks et al37-14 3,055,126 9/ 1962 Emhof. 3,231,991 2/1966 Wandscheer et al.

ABRAHAM G. STONE, Prinmary Examiner.

A. E. KOPECKI, Assistant Examiner.

1. IN COMBINATION WITH A DIAGONAL MATERIAL MOVING BLADE ADAPTED TO BEMOUNTED IN TRANSVERSELY EXTENDING RELATION ON A VEHICLE AND EXTENDINGDIAGONALLY OF THE DIRECTION OF TRAVEL OF THE VEHICLE, THE FRONT FACE OFSAID BLADE BEING OF ARCUATE CONCAVE CONFIGURATION AND FLARING FROM ONEEND THEREOF TO THE DISCHARGE END THEREOF, A GATE, MEANS PIVOTALLYMOUNTING SAID GATE ON SAID BLADE ADJACENT THE DISCHARGE END THEREOF FORMOVEMENT ABOUT AN AXIS EXTENDING SUBSTANTIALLY NORMAL TO THE BLADEBETWEEN A LOWERED OPERATIVE POSITION AND AN ELEVATED INOPERATIVEPOSITION, SAID GATE WHEN IN SAID OPERATIVE POSITION PROJECTING FORWARDLYFROM AND SUBSTANTIALLY NORMAL TO SAID BLADE AND BEING DISPOSED INOBSTRUCTING RELATION WITH RESPECT TO THE DISCHARGE END OF THE BLADE,SAID GATE WHEN IN THE INOPERATIVE POSITION BEING DISPOSED BELOW THEFORWARDLY CURVED UPPER PORTION OF SAID BLADE INTERMEDIATE THE ENDSTHEREOF, SAID GATE